Photo: WENN.com
"This one's dedicated to anyone heading to Glastonbury tomorrow," coyly smiles The National guitarist Aaron Dessner, introducing a glorious rendition of 'England'. "We wanted to play, but we were refused," adds frontman Matt Berninger, laughing through an inebriated mumble.
The second they announced this surprise last minute London show just days away from Glasto, the rumour mill started spinning with dreams of The National showing up at Worthy Farm for a secret set, topping their victorious sun-drenched set there at 2010. But for now, we put that out of our minds for a couple of hours to focus on the main event. Screw Glastonbury. For tonight, The Roundhouse feels like the only place on Earth.
A backdrop of fuzzy footage shows the band preparing and warming up backstage. The fervour saved for the Brooklyn five-piece before they're even on stage reflects the sheer brilliance and consistency that they've shown over the last decade. Without hype or becoming a buzz-band, they've risen to the very top of their game on class alone.
Opening with the tender waltz of 'I Should Live In Salt', The National begin a fittingly stately charge through a career-spanning set of flawnessness. 'Bloodbuzz Ohio' charges the room with waves of love before 'Secret Meeting' fills The Roundhouse with that dizzying sense of melancholic magnificence that only old-school National can.
There's an extra dimension in seeing The National live. While they may carry a sense of majesty on record and their suited and booted appearance may lead you perceive quite a reserved band, on stage they're a wine-fuelled storm of raw and unpolished energy - best shown by the transition from the vulnerable meander of 'Conversation 16' into the vicious explosion of the aptly-titled 'Squalor Victoria'.
"There's no hate or anger in this song," promises Berninger, introducing 'I Need My Girl' before Aaron Dessner interjects: "Well, there's a little bit of self-loathing," before Berninger jumps back with: "Well, yeah - but you should never hate anyone else." There's none of that in here - just the appreciation of a truly seminal band.
As always, the highlight of the evening is the band turning off their amps for an unplugged campfire rendition of the beautiful 'Vanderlyle Cry Baby Geeks'. As the Roundhouse join arm-in-arm to howl back back at Berninger as he prowls the stage to square up the audience, you could hear a pin drop if it weren't the screams of sheer adulation. From an almighty roar to a heavenly whisper, tonight is a dazzling display of why The National truly are the greatest American band of our generation. If they don't show up at Worthy Farm this weekend, then Glastonbury is all the poorer for it. God save The National.
The National played:
1. I Should Live In Salt
2. Don't Swallow The Cap
3. Bloodbuzz Ohio
4. Secret Meeting
5. Sea of Love
6. Demons
7. Afraid of Everyone
8. Coversation 16
9. Squalor Victoria
10. I Need My Girl
11. This Is The Last Time
12. Abel
13. Apartment Story
14. Pink Rabbits
15. England
16. Graceless
17. About Today
18. Fake Empire
Encore:
19. Heavenfaced
20. Humiliation
21. Mr November
22. Terrible Love
23. Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks (unplugged)
